Did you put off your holiday communications plan, thinking you still had plenty of time to deal with it in December?
If so, you’re probably nervously biting your nails now, wishing you hadn’t been such a procrastinator. While a little foresight would help you thrive this holiday season, you can still make the most of the time you’ve got left.
1. Pepper Tweets With Holiday Updates.
‘Tis the season to be festive, and social media is no exception. Whether you’re sharing your holiday sale links or just spreading good cheer to your followers, make sure at least a couple of updates each day are holiday slanted.
2. Piggyback on Charitable Events.
It might be too late for you to organize an act of goodwill from scratch, but there are plenty of giving opportunities you can still latch onto with great PR benefits. Toys for Tots is a popular charity this time of year; set up a bin for customers to drop toys into. Or donate a portion of sales to another charity close to your heart. Write a press release about your participation, and spread the word to your customers.
3. Bundle Slow-Sellers with Best-Sellers.
If you want to clear out some of your inventory, position an item that hasn’t sold well as a “gift with purchase,” and watch it fly off the shelves! Announce this promotion through social media and email.
4. Set Up Christmas Countdown Emails.
As the big day approaches, you can send a series of emails counting down the days customers have to make their gift purchases. If you sell online, keep the focus on the last day you can ship in order for items to still arrive by Christmas. This creates a sense of urgency and boosts sales.
5. Write Holiday Blog Content.
People are in a seasonal state of mind, and if you write holiday-themed posts (like this one), you’ll stay in line with their thinking. Just make the content useful, such as a post on “Top 5 Gifts for Your Hard-to-Shop-For Mother-in-Law.”
6. Host a Holiday Event.
Beyond your seasonal sales, consider hosting an open house or holiday party to share the warmth and generosity of the season with new and future customers. Offer giveaways, and be sure to get people to sign up for your email list.
7. Position Yourself as a Holiday Expert.
Journalists are writing holiday stories, and if you connect with the right ones, you could end up being quoted in articles. Scour HARO and other journalist sources for the right opportunities.
8. Send Client Gifts.
If you have a relatively small number of clients, this is a great opportunity to show them your appreciation through a small gift or card. Keep it simple by purchasing gifts in bulk and sending them all out (in time to get there before Christmas!) at once.
9. Boost Ad Spend.
If you invest in pay-per-click advertising, competition is fierce right now. It may be worth the investment to spend more to attract more customers for the holidays, then go back to your regular spend in January.
10. Participate in Free Shipping Day.
December 18 is Free Shipping Day. Businesses affiliated with this event get a boost in exposure through the site, as well as an increase in sales, as many people deliberately seek free shipping deals online.
Do you have any last-minute PR ideas? Leave them in the comments below!
